(All identifying information has been removed to protect client privacy.)

​This story, shared by the one of our senior centers, concerns a frail Alaska Native elder, “Mrs. G.,” who is in her eighties and struggles with impaired vision. Her family members all live Outside; she has no family in Alaska, let alone in her village. Mrs. G. lives close by and comes to the senior center office regularly, seeking help to read text messages, adjust phone settings, and place calls. The senior center staff members are always pleased to help her. As her vision declines, the senior center’s level of assistance has increased.

Mrs. G. also relies on the senior center's door-to-door transportation service, so she can check her mail, attend community events, shop for groceries, and access community services. Our Care-a-Van driver helps her shop for groceries and check her mail. This senior, who is very talkative, loves to attend the congregate meals and enjoys the socialization with the group of women at her table.

When Native food is donated to the center, the cook and site manager make sure that the Mrs. G. receives a portion of the food as she has no one to hunt and gather for her. The senior center staff takes good care of her, allowing her to continue to live independently with quality of life.

(All identifying information has been removed to protect client privacy.)​​Regional Coordinator Rachel MacSlarrow visited with one of our clients, who shared this story. “Mrs. M.” is a highly social person who has difficulty scheduling and tracking her own appointments. For Mrs. M’s wellbeing and quality of life, it is essential that she have access to a means of traveling around the community in a way that feels safe and that is also flexible and can be scheduled on any given day according to her needs on that day.

According to Mrs. M., without Care-A-Van she would be largely confined to her home. In addition to requiring extensive and individualized transportation, she also needs a lot of support in terms of keeping track of her schedule and attending appointments in a timely manner.

Care-A-Van gets Mrs. M. out in the community regularly so that she can see her friends and maintain her social life. Mrs. M. also feels very connected to the Care-A-Van drivers and reported that she especially appreciates that they take her to visit the cemetery where her loved ones are buried.

In addition to helping her maintain her social life, Care-A-Van drivers keep careful track of Mrs. M.’s schedule of appointments and frequently check with her to make sure that she is going to the right places at the right times. She reported that one very cold day she found herself out on the street with no way to get home. Fortunately, a Care-A-Van vehicle drove by; the driver knew that it was unusual for her to be out at that time of day. The driver picked her up and made sure that she made it home safely.

Mrs. M.’s story shows that Care-A-Van is more than just a ride door-to-door. The kindness of the drivers and compassionate support of the Care-A-Van team allows her to schedule and ride Care-A-Van safely and confidently despite her challenges. She appreciates a paratransit service that runs with the mission of supporting the independence and quality of life of seniors.

(All identifying information has been removed to protect client privacy.)​Our Case Management Regional Coordinator, Melissa Showers, received a referral regarding a frail, 66-year-old man, “Mr. K,” who needed help finding housing. Several months before, he had been involved in a serious auto accident. As a result, he experiences memory loss, has difficulty completing paperwork and navigating the "system," and his mobility is impaired.

Following the accident, Mr. K was medivacked Outside where he was hospitalized and then received rehab care. Upon his return, he found he needed to find a new place to live and desperately needed housing for the upcoming winter. As his physical condition and brain function improved, Mr. K started to attend the senior center for congregate meals. He had no refrigeration or cooking facilities where he lived.

When the case manager met Mr. K last August, she discovered that his needs were much greater than simply housing, including the following:

He hadn't received mail for six months and no longer had a mailing address.

He receives a small retirement income that's directly deposited into his checking account but never applied for social security and only had Medicare part A.

He hadn't applied for his most of his benefits, including his PFD.

During their first meeting, the case manager and Mr. K went to the post office and, after much explaining because he had no address, obtained a mailbox. They then went to the Social Security office to change his address and order a new Medicare card. They spent several hours each week during August to complete the following: obtain medical documentation to support the ADA card application and late submission of the PFD application; apply for Social Security and Medicare Part B; apply for Care-A-Van, the PFD, tax-exempt card and Senior Benefits; obtain financial information from two banks and his retirement account so he's aware of his financial status; and change addresses.

While there is still much to be done to address his housing needs and missing possessions, Mr. K attends the senior center where he appreciates the meal as well as the socialization. For months, he had little contact with others. But now Mr. K states that he "feels like a person again" and is grateful for assistance from people he can trust as he moves forward.

(All identifying information has been removed to protect client privacy.)

Kelsey Wood, Caregiver Support Regional Coordinator, shared the following story of a client in The Bridge Adult Day Program.

“Mrs. J.” has been attending The Bridge for over two years. She lives with her son who acts as her primary caregiver. Before enrolling in services, her son would have to leave his mother home alone during the day, where she would become easily frightened by auditory hallucinations that were a result of her dementia, coupled with hearing loss.

Now that her son can rely on The Bridge, he is able to go to work and know that his mother is safe. In addition, Mrs. J. has been able to engage with the Bridge community, and the social stimulation and routine that it offers has delayed the need for institutionalization.

In the past few months, Bridge staff have observed Mrs. J. conversing more with other participants and engaging in activities more than when she first began the program. Her son reports that she seems happier and requires less assistance at home.